Edward Barna Kurjack was born on July 29, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Ohio, Pennsylvania and finally settled in Florida where Edward graduated from Hillsborough High School, Tampa, in 1956. He went on to earn a BS degree from Florida State University in 1962, an MA from the University of Alabama in 1964, and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1972.

Kurjack began his teaching career as an instructor and curator of the anthropology museum at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. In 1971, Kurjack joined the faculty of Western Illinois University as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology. He advanced to Associate Professor and later received full professorship there in 1979. Professor Kurjack worked extensively studying and doing archeological research projects in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Ecuador as well as the Philippines.

Edward is survived by three brothers, Dennis Kurjack in Seviereville, Tennessee, Barna Kurjack in Jonesboro, Georgia, and Louis Kurjack in Melbourne, Florida. Edward's two surviving sisters, Ilona Mueller and Kathleen Horvath, both reside in Melbourne. A loving brother, cousin, uncle and teacher, Edward will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.